Kit Love
by SanoGirl
Summary: SEQUEL TRILOGY TO FOX LOVE. Shuurai is a wanderer...a wanderer on a quest. His quest will unearth things about himself and his past that he never knew. But can he handle it?
1. Lightning and Eagles

Kit Love:

Chapter 1- Lightning and Eagles

The path beneath his feet was dusty and dry, proof enough of the lack of rains in this part of the Makai. The sun shone down brightly overhead, as it had for almost every day this spring, clouds almost never shaded it's glaring light anymore. Butterflies danced in the sizzling air, no matter that it was only mid-spring, the temperatures had already been driven to heights usually only reached in mid-summer; the lack of rain was slowly sucking all traces of water and coolness from both earth and sky.

Colors painted the ground and the trees, but their dyes were faded and bleached, as if they were being viewed through a dirty window. Flowers drooped and the leaves on the trees were arid and crumbled at the slightest touch. All this did nothing to improve the mood of the young kitsune walking along the path, staring at his feet and watching as puffs of dust coated his lower legs with each step.

The customary scowl plastered on his face could have withered stone and the sharp sword hanging from his side could have cut through a tree had he wanted it to. Shuurai [1] absently brushed the hilt of said sword with one clawed hand and stared even harder at the dust swirling around his legs. The drought was even worse then everyone had predicted, there had been no precipitation since the last snows of winter. Everything was dying and the summer hadn't even begun yet.

Sighing and reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a crinkled piece of paper. The edges were torn and stained by time, the picture itself faded much like the surrounded landscape. All that could be seen in the picture was a small baby kitsune, obviously Shuurai, and another hand holding his. A few strands of golden and silver hair could be seen around the torn edges, but that was all. Not much to go on, by the young fox's standards, even if he _was_ a demon with demonic instincts.

A gust of wind blew up from behind the boy, ripping his hair out of its short ponytail and whipping the strands into his face. With an angry growl, he caught the silver-tipped gold strands and searched the ground for the string that had been previously holding them back. Scooping it up out of the dirt, he retied it at the nape of his neck and brushed the dust off his hands. Miniature dust cyclones spun down the path in front of him, scattering even more of the dry powder into the air.

Stuffing the picture back into his pocket before it too could be torn away from him, his fingers brushed the other object hidden there, and closed around its smooth surface. Pulling it out, he held it in the palm of his hand and stared at it for a long moment, as he had done countless times before.

The blood red stone glittered in the blinding sunlight, leaving imprints on the insides of his eyelids whenever he blinked. If he looked close enough, Shuurai almost thought he could see a tiny flame flickering inside the crystal depths. And for the thousandth time, he wondered what it could possibly be; where could it have come from? He brought the stone up even closer to his striking face and squinted at it through sparkling gold eyes that matched his hair perfectly.

Another sudden gust of wind blew a cloud of dust right into his eyes and they immediately watered and grew red. Blinking furiously, he stuffed the grape-sized stone back into his pocket with the picture and made sure that his sword was still strapped to his slender hips. Rubbing his eyes, he cleared the last of the dust and made a mental note not to travel on dirt roads anymore.

And by travel, he really meant wander. For Shuurai, the open road and the distant horizon had been the only home he had ever really known. Or actually, ever really remembered. Stretching back as far as he could, and straining his brain as hard as he would go, all he could find were images of open fields and dense forests, of glassy lakes and skies sprinkled with stars. And never, not even once, were those images accompanied by other demons. Never. Always he was alone.

But every so often, while he slept, fragments of memories would swirl though his head; a slight brush of tender hands against his skin, a swirling of silver hair or the sound of tinkling laughter. Once, upon waking, he thought he had even caught a glimpse of a smiling face, with golden eyes that were uncannily much like his own. Surprisingly, these bits and pieces did not fade with the morning as most dreams did, they stuck with him and imprinted themselves in his mind; it was almost as if they were purposely engraved in his head to aid him with his search.

For although Shuurai was a wanderer, lately he had become a wanderer with a purpose. He was determined to find his parents, find out who they were and why they had left him The young kitsune believed that he hadn't been left on purpose, there had to be some reason, some rationalization for what his mother and father had done. And while most other people would have given up by now, abandoned their search in favor of more rewarding activities, the little demon stuck with it, swearing to himself every night before he went to bed that he would find them. And find them alive.

So far, he had little to go on. Seeing as he was a full kitsune, both of his parents obviously had to be kitsune also. What little fragments he could grasp from memories and dreams plus his shred of picture were the only visuals he possessed, and he couldn't even decipher much more from them then silver and golden hair. Much like his own…

But besides that, all he had that could be positively tied to his parents was the sword swinging from his waist. A long, slender-bladed sword was housed inside, an engraved foxtail wrapping around the sharp blade. The hilt and sheath were both the same; black with inlaid gold images of eagles and foxes in various stages of living. It was no secret that the kitsune and the _Washi-Tenma [2]_ had long been allies. Their roots went back further then any living demon could remember, and that was saying a lot! For demons often lived to be a thousand years old, and sometimes more. All in all, the two demonic species had ties stronger then those of family; old alliances did not go unheeded in the Makai, to break an alliance, especially one so old, was one of the worst crimes one could commit. Demons may not have been very civil or prone to affection, but they knew where their loyalties and strengths lie.

Hours later, as the sun was just beginning to fall below the distant horizon, Shuurai yawned slightly and started looking for a place to spend the night. On every side, he saw nothing but little copses of trees, nothing major and nothing with enough cover. Not that he was afraid of being attacked, the gold and silver haired fox could protect himself very well if the need arose; the sword he possessed was not just for decoration. But he just preferred not be let himself be caught unawares if he could help it.

Sighing, he rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, preparing for another sleepless night spent walking under a canopy of diamonds. In truth, he did not mind at all. Kitsune, by character, were very appreciative of nature; they loved watching the sky and stars and walking among the forests and meadows. Sunset just happened to be one of Shuurai's favorite times, he loved watching the colors spread across the sky and eventually burn away into the deep black of night. He loved to watch the sun sink down slowly behind the distant mountains, painting the undersides of the clouds scarlet and gold. An overwhelming sense or peace and acceptance always overtook him whenever he watching this natural spectacle; it was the closest thing to belonging that he had ever experienced.

And so it was, as the last rays of day slowly died away, the young kitsune strode down the road, looking for all the world like a little lost puppy.

  


* * *

[1] _Shuurai_- Lightning (or lightning strike) in Japanese

[2] _Washi-Tenma_- Eagle-Demon in Japanese


	2. Hope and High Spirits

Kit Love:

Chapter 2- Hope and High Spirits

He licked his lips hastily and tossed away the remains of his dinner. There was always fresh fruit of some sort to be found in the Makai, and this area was no exception. Though the selection was noticeably more scarce now since there hadn't really been much water for them to grow on.

The stars wheeling overhead shone even brighter with the lack of moonlight. The glittered like millions of diamonds, winking and shimmering as they danced their ageless dance. He felt the cool night breeze ruffle his hair and wash away the heat from his reddened cheeks. Breathing in deeply, he soothed his dust-coated lungs with the cool air. Nighttime swirled alive around him, living darkness that coiled itself around the land, covering and overtaking it.

Stretching, Shuurai let out a loud yawn, not bothering to cover his mouth. He desperately wanted to stop and sleep but still had not seen anything sufficient enough for cover. Tearing out his hair tie, he ran the slender fingers of one hand through the unruly strands and let the wind swirl them around his face. Walking down that road, hair blowing and eyes glowing, he had no idea how much he looked like his parents.

Finally coming upon a larger grove of trees then those he had passed earlier that night, he heaved a sigh of relief and turned his tired feet off the road. Entering the grove and heading deep into it's heart, he found a sturdy tree branch high off the ground and made it up in two powerful, almost effortless leaps.

Settling the sword at his waist and offering up a silent prayer to whoever it was that watched over him, he dropped the barriers that had been holding sleep off and let the welcome relief wash over him like a flood. Clutching the picture shred in one small hand, he drifted off to sleep with the sounds of crickets chirping and the far-off song of a flock of night birds echoing in his golden fox ears.

***************

A sharp jab to his hip awoke the young fox with a start; upon looking down, he found that the hilt of his trusted sword was the culprit. Sighing and stretching, much like a cat, he jumped lithely down from his lofty perch and snatched a handful of berries off a nearby tree for breakfast. Even though the berries were shriveled and somewhat dry, they at least took the edge off the sharp pang of hunger in his gut.

Birds wheeled and soared overhead, their bright colors a sharp contrast to the cloudless blue sky; their song filled his ears and lifted his spirits, today was the day! He would find his parents today, he could feel it.

And that morning was just the kind of morning to make anyone feel like that, to make anyone feel that anything and everything was possible. It was a day for discoveries and a day for reminiscing; a day for journeys and a day for homecomings. The morning air was laden with fresh dew and promises newly made and interlaced with the sweet sense of a victory already won.

Yes, today would be the day.

Sweeping his hair up once more, Shuurai jogged back to the dusty path, his feet already kicking up dust clouds with every light footfall. Realizing he still had the picture clutched in one clawed hand, he let his eyes linger upon its faded image for a moment before stuffing it back into his pocket where it belonged. Hope lingered in his eyes and on his face, giving him back the fresh, young look that had deserted him years ago.

For the little fox had grown old before his time; the lack of parents or adult influence in one's life could do that. With no one to look out for you, you learn to fend for yourself, to trust no one and depend on no one. You could never tell when someone would leave or decide you weren't worth it anymore, and when that happened you ended up right back where you started. So it was better just to not trust anyone in the first place and rely on your own instinct and knowledge to keep you alive.

And that was just what Shuurai had done. For as long as he could remember, he had lived on his own, fighting his way into society and proving to the world that he was not a hopeless pity case. If there was one thing that Shuurai wouldn't put up with even more then charity, it was pity; he could stand to see the sympathetic, pitying look in other's eyes when they found out he was basically an orphan. And no matter how many times he told them that he wasn't an orphan, that his parents hadn't left him, and that they were alive waiting for him to find him, they still pitied the young kitsune.

So he had given up on even telling people his history; he had learned by now that the less people knew about you, the better. Your business was your business and no one else had a right to know. Everyone had secrets to be kept and if they kept their nose out of your life, you would keep yours out of theirs.

With these depressing thoughts flitting through his head, Shuurai felt his spirits slip a notch. Resolving to not think about anything along those lines, he banished those thoughts with a practiced ease and turned back to his comforting newfound hope. He would let nothing destroy his chances today, let nothing bring him down.

"_I'm coming mom…I'm coming dad…hold on just a little longer. I'm coming._"


	3. Food and Omens

Kit Love:

Chapter 3- Food and Omens

Humming absentmindedly, the young fox scratched the tip of one golden ear and wiped his other hand off on the shriveled grass at his side. Standing up, he turned away from the sadly diminished pond, he licked the last few drops of water off pale pink lips and once more resumed his trek on the dusty path.

The wind picked up once more and gusted around his slender frame, bringing the scents of a myriad of demons to his nose. A slight smile twitched one corner of his mouth as his brain registered this obvious information. There was a village up ahead.

The grin soon stretched his entire mouth as he realized that tonight he would have real food and an actual bed to sleep in. He would finally be full for the first time in weeks. Not that Shuurai was starving or anything, it was just that being a wanderer really didn't pay well. But that did not matter now that there was a village nearby.

Multiple tails lashed excitedly at the air behind him, stirring the dust up and coating his back and hair with yet another layer of the fine dirt. A new spring in his step, he continued down the path with lifted moral and gleaming silver golden eyes, when all of a sudden he stopped.

The wind blew past him still, carrying the dust with it, but the young kitsune thought he felt a change. Something was different, but he didn't know what. Sniffing, he took a careful step forwards, hand alighting on the hilt of his ornate sword and ears twitching, searching for any sort of sound that might signal the approach of something. His eyes glittered in the sharp sunlight as they darted all around him, seeing no sign of motion.

Relaxing his stance, but keeping an air of wariness about him, Shuurai continued down the road, his pace quickening slightly. He couldn't explain it really, but there had been something back there, a feeling or a premonition maybe. It could be said that he had a sort of sixth sense almost, and from he had experienced in the past, it was never wrong. His empty stomach twisted itself into knots and Shuurai blinked at the sudden onslaught of hunger cramps. Growling a little to himself, he broke into a dead run, rushing past trees and dead fields, and seeming like nothing more then a slight golden blur.

A clawed hand rested on his sword as he ran, feet feeling like they were merely skimming over the parched earth. His stomach twisted even more as he felt another prickle in his mind, another flash of an omen in the very back of his consciousness that trailed a chill finger up his spine.

Growling louder this time, he increased his speed and within the next five minutes flew into the village he had smelled earlier, and only slowed when he was almost to the center square.

Ignoring the stares he got from a few of the villagers, he took his hand off his sword and retied his hair, all the time walking and searching for someplace to stay. Holding the tie in his teeth, he hastily ran dirty fingers through the limp, dusty strands trying to make himself seem less the travel-worn orphan that he was, and more the imposing demon he wished to be. Finally deciding he could do no more, he stuck the tattered tie back into his hair and walked up the steps of the inn that appeared in his line of vision.

Checking his pocket to make sure he had enough money for the night and a few meals, he walked across the common room and approached the rather round demon behind the counter.

"Whadda you want, kid? We don't serve children here as you can see." The demon swept his arm out to encompass the rather empty room and Shuurai watched disgustedly as the layers of blubber on his arms jiggled sickeningly.

Nevertheless, he took a handful of coins out of his pocket and slapped them down on the wood in front of him and said in a calm, even tone, "I'd like a meal and a room for the night, please."

The innkeeper snorted. "Kid, go home to your mommy. I don't want to get in trouble for helping some runaway brat."

"I'm not running away," Shuurai replied, unperturbed. He dealt with this sort of thing often; no one seemed to believe that he was on his own and able to pay his own way in the world. "I am on my own and seeing as how I have the money, I wish to rent a room for the night." He let one sharp-clawed finger absently trace the gold designs on his sword hilt and watched as the innkeeper raised one bushy eyebrow.

Finally, he heaved a huge sigh and took the money which the young fox had placed in front of him. "But don't come crying to me if you get a whipping from your mother, boy." Turning away he said, "Your room's upstairs, last door on the right. Dinner's served at six. You miss it, tough luck."

"Thank you," Shuurai answered pleasantly, mounting the polished stairs and feeling the glances of the few others in the room bore into his back. His clawed toes clicked softly on the hall floor as he headed down to his room, glancing at the other doors as he passed. All had the same well-kept, but slightly worn look about them and were made from the same stout wood. The afternoon sun slanted in through the window at the other end of the hall and Shuurai squinted slightly against its glaring light.

Finally reaching his room, he opened the door and went inside, shutting it softly behind him. Upon seeing the bed, he ran over to it and threw himself down with a loud whoop of joy. Finally, a _real_ bed! Laughing, he buried his face in the pillow and froze there, motionless, when his mind jolted his senses for the third time that day.

Breathing shallowly against the thick pillow, he felt his own heated breath flow back against his face. Slowly turning to one side, he peered at the room from underneath a curtain of golden bangs. There was no one else in the room.

Sitting up, the kitsune shook his head to dislodge the golden bangs from his eyelashes and warily rolled his shoulders. 

But just as he was about to get up and take a drink from the pitcher by the door, a searing pain shot through his left arm. With a sharp cry, he fell over sideways on the bed, clutching at the appendage and trying to blink back the stinging tears that formed at the corners of his eyes.

Gasping for breath, he swallowed hard and glanced down at the arm through a haze of pain. There was no mark or bruise on his skin.

Bewildered, he let his mind spiral off into unconsciousness, letting the welcome blackness claim him. One last thought drifted through his head as his mind seemed to separate from his body. "_What the hell is going on?!_"


	4. My Other Half

Kit Love:

Chapter 4- My Other Half

He awoke several hours later to a dull roar beneath him that shook the room slightly and caused his bed to shiver. Yawning, he managed to pull himself to a sitting position and rubbed unconsciously at his arm. The pain was gone now, and he felt rested and revived. Springing up, he stretched and threw open the door, figuring that the noise below was from a crowd of hungry demons awaiting their dinner.

And upon entering the common room, he found that his hunch was correct. The room was packed with bodies and as he let his slender form be pulled into the hustle and cacophony, Shuurai felt the temperature rise several degrees. After shoving his way through the sea of demons, by some miracle, he managed to find a seat and before the hour was out, had a plate of steaming food in front of him.

Wolfing it down even faster then the older patrons sitting with him, Shuurai begged for seconds before they had even finished half of theirs. Grinning at their surprised stares, he downed most of the pitcher of water at their table and finished his second plate of food only slightly slower, then awaiting dessert with glee. Shaking their heads, his tablemates exchanged secret smirks amongst themselves as memories of their younger days flitted through their heads.

After, as soon as he had licked up every last scrap of his meal, the young fox retired once more to his secluded room and fell into a deep, restful sleep unlike any he had known for weeks.

***************

Groaning as the morning sun shone down brightly on his face and lit his eyelids on fire, Shuurai rolled over and buried his head beneath the soft pillow, burrowing even further into the warm blankets covering him. His jaw cracked loudly as he yawned and he heaved a sigh of content, happy just to lie lazily in the warm bed and enjoy the feeling of actual comfort.

A few minutes later, however, he managed to pull himself from the warm recesses of the bed and walk over to the water pitcher, where he proceeded to throw several handfuls of water on his face, gasping when the cool liquid startled his senses.

Grinning like a fool, he left the room and swaggered downstairs, asking a table girl to get him some breakfast. Lounging in a chair, he watched languidly as other demons came and went, talking to acquaintances and shouting curses to their rivals. He chuckled when a young looking female demon who couldn't have been more then 20 years Shuurai's senior managed to out-cuss a shriveled old serpent demon, his forked tongue not helping him any in their battle of profanities.

Eating his meal with gusto, the young fox sighed inwardly as his mind began to prickle again. Clamping down on the tickling in his head, he forced it out and ignored it, vowing not to let anything such as that ruin his day.

Finishing his food and wiping sticky lips off on the back of his hand, he left a few more precious coins on the table and walked away regretfully, watching them glitter out of the corner of his eye. He did not have much money left, and what he did have he must now use sparingly.

Sunlight and heat assaulted his senses as soon as he stepped out the door into the already stifling morning. Flicking his dusty hair over a slim shoulder, he set off at a brisk pace, heading towards the opposite end of the village from where he had entered. He might as well keep following this road and see where it led. He was, after all, a wanderer.

As soon as he left the outskirts of the town, the crowd thinned and soon dwindled to nothing. Once again, Shuurai found himself alone on the road. But it was nothing to him, this was the way it had always been, and this was how he liked it. Other people were only distractions, pulling him away from his one purpose and steering him off course.

Humming once more, he felt another tickle in his unconsciousness, but this one was different from the other one he had felt the day before. With a start he realized he did not know the tune he was humming, had never even heard it before. Yet there was something familiar about it, something that tugged at his mind and toyed with his memory, yet stayed just out of reach. Something . . .

"Hey! Watch it!"

The warning came too late as both Shuurai and the other form tumbled down in a heap of arms, legs, and claws. Howling when his head cracked off the hard dirt, Shuurai was surprised to hear a twin howl echo his own. Looking over dizzily, his vision finally focused on the slight form of the other demon, and he almost choked in surprise. The other demon was a kitsune. And not only that, he looked almost exactly like Shuurai.

The other boy looked up, his angry eyes meeting Shuurai's own befuddled ones. But the anger faded instantly as he took in Shuurai's face and features, changing to a look of astonishment that matched the golden fox's own.

Warily, the other kitsune lept to his feet and shifted into a ready stance, one hand straying absently to his silver hair. But Shuurai remained on the ground, staring up at the other, his bewilderment only growing by the moment. He took in the silver strands that were tipped with gold, the exact opposite of his own and the hard, emerald eyes that seemed to carry the whole world within their depths. The face that stared back at him resembled his own more then was normal and the slender body still shifting uneasily mirrored his in more ways then one.

"Just who _are_ you?" he asked, wonderingly.

" Enrai," came the reply. "I'm Enrai[1] . . . Who are you?" The wariness had faded a little from his gaze and stance and the tense muscles Shuurai had sensed beneath his clothes loosened up slightly.

But instead of answering, as would have been proper, Shuurai only gasped.

"What?!" came the annoyed reply. "What's wrong with you?!"

But Shuurai still couldn't find his voice. This was just too weird. He very well knew that his own name meant 'Lightning' but this boy's . . . this boy's name meant 'Thunder'. Not only were their bodies nearly identical, but their names matched as well.

Finally working up enough spit in his mouth, Shuurai answered, "I'm Shuurai," and watched as a look of utter shock covered Enrai's face.

"No way," he breathed. "Holy shit . . ."

  


* * *

[1] Enrai- Thunder, specifically "Distant Thunder" in Japanese.


	5. Companion

Kit Love:

Chapter 5- Companion

The other kitsune circled around him, taking in the slender form that was so much like his own. Shuurai remained where he was on the ground and watched, dumbfounded, as the other boy's eyes widened more and more. "Who're your parents?" Enrai asked, finally sitting down in the dust next to his opposite.

But Shuurai shook his head. "I never knew them. They . . . they _left_ before I was born." He made sure he placed careful emphasis on the word 'left'.

Enrai raised one silver eyebrow, and one silvery tail curled around his arm as he gave the golden fox a disbelieving look. "If they died, you can tell me, ya know? I'm not gonna go all weepy on ya or anythin'." He looked away and thought it strange that this fox's situation was so much like his own.

"Well, what about _your_ parents?" Shuurai shot back, getting defensive. "Where are they?"

"They died before I was old enough to remember them," he answered shortly. "I don't even know what they looked like." His fingers strayed to something tied in a small leather pouch at his waist; Shuurai glanced sharply at him.

The two sat in silence for a while, until finally, the silver kitsune broke the silence by asking why Shuurai was alone, wandering this part of the Makai. "I'm looking for my parents," answered, seeing even before it happened the look of skepticism on his companion's face.

And sure enough, the silver eyebrow above one emerald eye rose delicately. "Um . . ."

"Look! They're _not_ dead and they _didn't_ abandon me, ok?! I _know_ my parents are out there somewhere, and I _know_ they're looking for me too!"

Anger flashed in the other's eyes at Shuurai's outburst. "For cryin' out loud, you didn't have to go all pissy on me like that! Shit, if you say your parents are alive, then they're alive! For crap's sake would you calm down?!"

Shuurai took a deep breath and scooped up a handful of dust with one idle hand. Dust soon coated his entire hand, knuckles and all, and he absentmindedly wiped it on his pants. "Well, if you're trying to find your way around these parts here, I guess I could show ya 'round." Shuurai glanced up at the suddenness of the other's speaking; his eyes were questioning and his hair blew into them with a passing gust.

Enrai sprang lithely to his feet and stuck out a hand to help Shuurai up. "Whadda say?"

With a grin, Shuurai reached out and clasped the offered hand. For some reason, he liked this kitsune, trusted him almost without question, which was strange for the young fox. He didn't know anything about him besides his name, and yet . . . yet he felt like he had known him all his life.

"So, headed anywheres in particular?" Enrai ran his fingers through shoulder length locks and grimaced at the dust that clung to his fingers.

"Not really," Shuurai replied, cringing at the dust in his own hair.

"Ok then, well, first things first I guess. There's a pond I know, 'bout half day's travel from here that still has a fair 'mout of water left in it. I'd like to go take a dip, get some of this damned dust off me, and then we can decide where to go from there. Sound good?"

Shuurai nodded.

The two walked down the road together, identical tails swishing softly behind them as the wind ruffled the silky fur and swirled dust all around them. Glancing over more times then one, Shuurai kept seeming to see, not just a reflection of himself, but also of something else. Something familiar. He felt a tingle at the back of his neck whenever he stared intently at the other kitsune and it reminded him of something just out of reach.

Finally, Enrai looked over and managed to catch his gaze. "Something wrong?" he asked dryly.

The golden fox shook his head. "I don't know, I just keep getting this weird feeling . . . like I've know you before or something. I can't really explain it you just seem . . . familiar."

Surprise wrote itself across Enrai's face, then was replaced by agreement. "I know what you mean," he replied in a serious tone. "I mean, it goes deeper then that fact that we just _look_ alike. Which is jus' plain weird. I mean, if I didn' know better I'd say we're twins!" He let out a rich chuckle and cracked his knuckles, brushing long silvery locks over a muscular shoulder.

It was then that Shuurai noticed, for the first time, the pendant hanging from one of the fox's ears. While one silver ear had a small gold hoop running through the top if it, the other was looped around with a long chain that dangled down to about his elbows. But it wasn't the chain that caught the golden kitsune's attention, it was the blood red stone hanging from the end of it. _It looked exactly like his own._

Enrai felt the golden eyes on him and glanced over; "It's a _Chishio-houshu_, leastaways, that's what I was told. A "Blood-Gem", pretty rare, all things considered."

Shuurai gave him a confused look.

Enrai grasped for the right words to explain. "It's a stone, made of the one drop of purest blood to ever leave a kitsune's body. If you pierce your chest-" he put his hand on top of his heart, "-right here when you're feeling a strong emotion towards someone, usually love, then the one drop that falls solidifies into a perfectly round stone called a _Chishio-houshu._ They have what's called 'life fire' inside, shows the owner's still alive. Anyway, they're only give to someone whom you really care for. As in, love with your whole heart type thing." He fell silent once more, gauging the other's reaction.

The dazed look on Shuurai's face earned the gold fox a concerned look. "You alright?"

Cloudy golden eyes stared at him as if from far away. "It's just . . . I have a stone too, . . . just . . . like . . . that."

Enrai's eyes narrowed to slits. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."


	6. My Past, Your Past

Kit Love:

Chapter 6- My Past, Your Past

One clawed hand dug into his pocket, then produced the blood-red germ that looked exactly like Enrai's own. With a strangled gasp, the silver fox clutched the gem that hung from his ear-pendant and took a half step back. "Where th' hell did y get that?!"

"Supposedly it belonged to my parents," Shuurai said absentmindedly, turned the object over and over in his fingers. Something Enrai had said only moments before tickled at the back of his mind. Something about the owner and life…

Peering closer, Enrai caught the glimmer of sparks from the depths of the _Chishio-houshu_. "Hey!" he exclaimed, straightening and giving Shuurai a gleeful look. "If this really does belong to one of your parents, it means you were right! They, or leastaways one of them, is still alive!"

"…Because of the life fire…" Shuurai replied slowly, catching on. He gave the other boy a smug glance. "_Told_ you they were still alive."

The other kitsune merely rolled emerald eyes that glittered like the ocean and fingered his blood-gem. "Still.." he muttered, almost as if talking to himself. "It's weird that we both have one of these…s'pposedly they're rare…" Shaking a head of silver locks, he let go of the _Chishio-houshu_ and continued down the dusty path. "Come on!" he called over his shoulder to the ecstatic Shuurai. "Lake's not to far up 'head!"

With a grin and a whoop, Shuurai jogged to catch up to his look-alike. "I can't wait to find my parents!"

With a lopsided grin that was identical to the one on Shuurai's face, Enrai just shook his head again. "Crazy fox." His steps quickened as the first glimmers of water caught his eye from ahead and his body automatically honed in on it.

When he was close enough to make out the actual lake itself, Enrai shot Shuurai a glance, which was promptly returned. Almost as if on instinct, both kitsune boys sped up, their running legs quickly closing the rest of the distance between them and the glittering waters.

Immediately upon reaching the banks, Enrai shed his shirt, boots, and ear pendant, and dove into the slightly muddy waters. Shuurai could tell that the water level was down way below what it should be—for dried mud covered the grass almost 100 feet out from where the water's edge was now—but nevertheless, it was water, and water was welcome.

Following the other boy's example, he shed shoes and shirt, also slipping the photograph and _Chishio-houshu_ out of his pocket. The last thing to go was his sword, and then he too dove into the water, sighing in relief as the cool liquid washed over his head.

"Feels good, don't it?" Enrai asked, once he had surfaced. "'S not much, but it'll hafta do for now." The silver-tailed fox was floating on his back, staring up at the piercing blue sky overhead.

"Enrai…do you ever…miss your parents?" Shuurai asked a few more moments of silence.

"No," the other kitsune answered shortly. "I figger, if they didn't care enough to stay with me an' to be my fam'ly, then they're not worth missin'. I really don't care 'f they're live or dead; I depend on no one but myself and I certainly don't need older people tryin' to tell me what to do." His cynical voice paused for a moment, then shot the question back at its asker.

"That's the way I've always looked at things…" Shuurai answered slowly. "I rely on myself, and I don't need others; none of them know me and all I get from them is pity. But…I've seen other kitsune…happy ones with their clans and their packs and their herds. It just makes me wonder sometimes what it would be like to have a real family. And I've always thought that my parents left for a reason, not just because they didn't want me anymore"

"Mmm…" was the only reply he got and the two young foxes slowly let themselves drift upon the water, the warm sun baking their bare stomachs and the slightly cooler water tickling their equally bare backs.

They stayed that way until the sun was barely a finger-width above the horizon, then Enrai splashed to shore and began rooting around in his small pack for something. "Dinner," he answered, when Shuurai also left the water to stand by his side.

Nodding, the golden kitsune moved to his own pack, wringing the water from his silver-tipped tails. But as he bent down to search for the bread and dried meat he had stashed in his pack earlier, the torn picture he had had since he was little fell out of his pocket and drifted slowly to the ground.

Sighing, Shuurai reached out to pick up the photo fragment, but was surprised when Enrai got there first. Straightening, he held out one hand with a murmured, "Thank you", but didn't get his precious item back.

Frowning in annoyance, he raised his eyes to look at Enrai, and upon seeing his face, frowned even deeper, but this time in puzzlement.

The silver fox was staring at the picture as if he had just seen a spirit. His emerald eyes were wide and his golden-tipped tails were trembling ever so slightly. The clawed hand that clutched the small photo was white-knuckled and shaking too.

"E-Enari? Can I have that back, now?" Shuurai nervously switched his weight from one foot to the other, still holding his hand out for the photo of himself as a baby.

But the other boy made no move to return it, only delved deep into his own pocket and pulled out a small chunk of paper.

Wonderingly, Shuurai watched as his look-alike fitted the two pieces together, then turned them around so he could see them. Eyes also widening, the golden fox saw that the edges matched perfectly…and so did the pictures.  The other hand that Shuurai's was grasping belonged to another baby kitsune that looked exactly like Enrai.

Glancing up, he managed to stutter, "Y-you're my…brother."


End file.
